Memorials May 2022
Submit a memorial at texasbar.com/memorials or call (512) 965-6930. For information on closing a deceased attorney’s practice, go to texasbarpractice.com/law-practice-management/close/.
Frank T. Crews Jr.
Crews, 88, of
Taos, New Mexico, died September 13, 2021. He received his law degree
from the University of Texas and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1963.
Crews served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1956 to 1960. He was an
attorney for Runge Marschall in San Angelo, counsel to General Telephone
in San Angelo, an attorney with Dibrell, Dibrell, Greer and Brown in
Galveston, and an attorney with Greer, Herz & Adams. Crews was
certified in residential real estate and commercial real estate by the
Texas Board of Legal Specialization, was president of the Galveston
Historical Society, and was a volunteer for Shared Table. He was known
for his love of long-distance running, having accumulated more training
and racing miles than it takes to run the circumference of the earth.
Crews is survived by his wife of 43 years, Barbara Krantz Crews; son,
Christopher Alan Crews; daughters, Candace Ann Crews and Catherine
Crews; brother, Paul P. Crews; and three grandchildren.
Leonard J. Giblin Jr.
Giblin, 80,
of Port Arthur, died September 25, 2021. He received his law degree from
St. Mary’s University School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in
1968. Giblin began his career in the Jefferson County District
Attorney’s Office, where he became first assistant district attorney;
was the Jefferson County judge; and was judge of the 252nd District
Court for 25 years. He was a lifelong area resident and member of St.
Elizabeth Catholic Church in Port Neches. Giblin is survived by his wife
of 58 years, Diane Giblin; daughters, Gina Giblin and Julie Gauthier;
son, Dr. Leonard Giblin III; and two grandchildren.
Bradley Daniel Berryman
Berryman,
50, of Edgecomb, Maine, died June 29, 2021. He received his J.D. from
Southern Methodist University in 1995 and LL.M. from Georgetown
University in 1996 and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1995. Berryman
was a member of the Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts bars. He was
a law clerk for Gardner & Watson in Fort Worth in 1994, was an
associate of and partner in Kirkley Schmidt & Cotten from 1996 to
2003, and was a partner in Kirkley & Berryman in Fort Worth from
2003 to 2014. Berryman loved spending time with his children, sharing
with them his interests in hunting, baseball, and old movies; watching
the Dallas Cowboys; and boating down the Sheepscot River and around
Pemaquid Point, Maine, with his family and dogs. He is survived by his
wife, Alissa Berryman; son, Joshua Berryman; daughter, Abigail Berryman;
mother, Sharon T. Berryman; father, attorney G. Phil Berryman; brother,
attorney P. Brian Berryman; and sister, Julie Berryman.
Robert Fugate
Fugate, 57,
of Arlington, died November 18, 2021. He received his law degree from
the University of Houston Law Center and was admitted to the Texas Bar
in 1995. Fugate was an attorney with the Law Office of Robert Fugate in
Mansfield from 1995 to 1998, an attorney with the Dallas Court of
Appeals from 1998 to 2001, an attorney with Fanning, Harper &
Martinson in Dallas from 2001 to 2008, and a senior attorney before
becoming deputy city attorney with the city of Arlington from 2008 to
2021. He was certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of
Legal Specialization and was a fellow of the International Municipal
Lawyers Association. Fugate loved spending time with his friends and
family; the outdoors and fishing; and rock and fossil hunting and
collecting. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Jennifer; sons,
Braxton and Benjamin; daughter, Katherine; brother, Jim Fugate; and
sisters, Monette Fugate, Dody Fugate, Linda Lacaze, and Anne King.
Joseph Marshall Groce
Groce, 81, of
San Antonio, died November 24, 2021. He received his law degree from St.
Mary’s University School of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in
1966. Groce was a clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Tom C. Clark; was
an attorney with Groce, Locke and Hebdon; general counsel to the
Financial Management Group of Frost Bank in San Antonio as well as
counsel to other major San Antonio bank trust departments; was a speaker
and author; and was a guest lecturer at St. Mary’s University School of
Law in San Antonio and Austin College in Sherman. He was certified in
estate planning and probate law by the Texas Board of Legal
Specialization; served on the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Advisory Commission for more than 13 years; a fellow of the American
College of Trust & Estate Counsel in 1988; president and director of
the San Antonio Estate Planning & Probate Law Association;
officer-director in the San Antonio Estate Planners Council; active in
the American, Texas, and San Antonio bar associations; a member,
director, and officer of the Alamo Executives Association and the
Exchange Club; and a director and officer of the Robert B. Taylor
Scholarship Fund. Groce is remembered for his love of his wife,
Patricia, and their dog, Toby; celebrating life with devoted friends;
and being a pillar in the San Antonio legal community, where he earned a
reputation for excellence, tireless advocacy, and professionalism. He is
survived by his wife, Patricia; daughters, Laurie, Beth, and Katherine;
and three grandchildren.
Ellis J. Ortego
Ortego, 79, of
Dickinson, died January 27, 2022. He received his law degree from the
University of Texas and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1967. Ortego
began his law practice in Texas City before moving it to Santa Fe in
1972. There he was a solo practitioner focused on municipal law, family
law, probate, estate planning, and real estate. Ortego served as city
attorney for Bayou Vista, Tiki Island, Kemah, Hitchcock, La Marque,
Dickinson, and Santa Fe; was a prosecutor for Clear Lake Shores, Bayou
Vista, Tiki Island, Hitchcock, Dickinson, and Santa Fe; and worked with
Sen. Jerry Patterson to enact Section 214.002 of the Local Government
Code. He was a member of the Texas City Attorneys Association, Mainland
Bar Association, and Galveston County Bar Association; and a charter
member and president of the West Galveston County Rotary Club and was
honored as a Paul Harris Fellow. Ortego is remembered for enjoying
motorcycle trips around the U.S. on his Harley Davidson with his wife
and friends; hunting, including annual trips to Colorado, where he
tracked and harvested elk; and barbecuing. He is survived by his wife of
48 years, Anna; daughter, Andrea; sons, Brady and Brett; sister, Romona
Stover; brother, Roland Williams; and three grandchildren.
Kevin Victor Weido
Weido, 61, of
Houston, died June 30, 2021. He received his law degree from the
University of Houston in 1989. Weido began practicing as a corporate
attorney with Texaco but mainly worked in oil and gas throughout his
career, ending at Shell Oil. He had a reputation for working hard and
getting the job done, loved supporting his sons, and liked going to the
gym and running. Weido is survived by his wife of 36 years, Michelle
Marie Weido; sons, Nicholas Vincent Weido and Tyler James Weido; father,
Vincent Weido; mother; Kathy Weido; and brothers Gregory Weido and
Anthony Weido.
David G. Ortiz
Ortiz, 55, of
Las Vegas, Nevada, died December 3, 2021. He received his law degree
from South Texas College of Law and was admitted to the Texas Bar in
1999. Ortiz was a member of the Nevada bar. He served in the U.S. Army
from 1983 to 1986. Ortiz was an attorney with the Law Office of David G.
Ortiz in Houston from 1999 to 2006 and with the Law Office of David G.
Ortiz in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 2012 to 2021. He is remembered for
hanging out with his beloved dog, Duke; going to the shooting range with
his son, Tim; and his love of travel. Ortiz is survived by his wife of
20 years, Johanna Ortiz; sons, Timothy Ortiz and Christopher Ortiz;
daughter, Stephanie Griffith; mother, Olivia Ortiz; brothers, Raul,
Pete, Roy, and Sal Ortiz; and 11 grandchildren.
John B. McAdams
McAdams, 74,
of Fort Worth, died December 25, 2021. He received his law degree from
the University of Texas and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1972.
McAdams was a member of the Oklahoma Bar. He served in the U.S. Army
Reserve from 1969 to 1973. He was an associate of Strasburger, Price,
Kelton, Martin & Unis in Dallas from 1972 to 1975; an associate
professor at the University of Oklahoma College of Law in Norman,
Oklahoma, from 1975 to 1977; an associate of Vinson & Elkins in Fort
Worth from 1977 to 1979; a partner in Kelly, Hart & Hallman in Fort
Worth from 1979 to 1990; general counsel to the Texas Rangers baseball
team from 1987 to 1989; and represented other Major League Baseball
teams in salary arbitration with the Law Office of John B. McAdams in
Fort Worth from 1990 to 2009. McAdams is remembered for being a man of
unquestionable honor and a loyal, generous friend who possessed a dry
and witty sense of humor; enjoying travel, especially when combined with
golf; and for his love of national parks, having visited over 30. He is
survived by his wife of 47 years, June Sims McAdams; daughter, Megan
McAdams Goodman; and two grandchildren.
David Lee Winston
Winston, 71,
of Dallas, died February 25, 2022. He received his law degree from
Baylor University and was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1989. Winston was
an attorney with and shareholder in the business litigation practice
group of Winstead from 1989 to 2004, senior vice president and associate
general counsel to the Citigroup Citi Consumer Litigation Group in
Irving from 2004 to 2010; senior litigation counsel to Litton Loan
Servicing in Irving from 2010 to 2011; director of litigation at
Rushmore Loan Management Services in Farmers Branch from 2011 to 2018
and director of legal proceedings from 2018 to 2021; and managing
attorney of Zwicker & Associates in Dallas from 2021 to 2022. He is
survived by his wife of 39 years, Melody Winston; son, attorney Lee
Winston; daughter, Samantha Winston; brothers, Bob, Ken, and Ron
Winston; and sisters, Priscilla Nanney and Penny
Beazley.TBJ
